East Texas Orofacial Myology

04/21/2026

This will be good!

Announcing: Summer Speech Camps!

Summer- themed, small group speech camps are a fantastic, play- based way to target early language skills like vocabulary building, requesting, describing, taking, and following simple directions – all while keeping things, fun, sensory rich, and low pressure.

At this age kid thrive on short, repetitive, multisensory activities with movement, songs, an adult modeling/expansion of their words and gestures.

Spots are limited! Call and reserve today.

04/18/2026

Big congratulations to this sweet, adorable girl for accomplishing something HUGE 💕👏

After trying multiple approaches over the years, she has officially said goodbye to her long-term sucking habit—and we are celebrating this incredible win 🎉✨

This isn’t just about stopping a habit… it’s about setting her up for better breathing, more restful sleep 😴, and healthy jaw growth and development. When the lips and tongue function the way they’re designed to, they help guide the face to grow optimally and support the airway.😍🦷

So proud of her determination and the confidence she’s gained along the way 💖

04/06/2026

Lately, I’ve been noticing a pattern in my office… 👂

Patients aren’t just talking about symptoms anymore—they’re talking about relief.
And more importantly… relief without the side effects they’ve struggled with for years.

As someone who focuses on airway, breathing, and whole-body function, this matters. So much. 🤍

When we support the body instead of suppressing symptoms, things start to change in a deeper way.

I’m always listening… and when I hear the same kind of feedback over and over, I pay attention. ✨

.life

04/03/2026

Big congratulations to this fun little guy 🎉👏 for eliminating an oral habit!

Shout out to Dr Blaire Miers @ Athens Dental Works 😊for recommended the oral habit elimination program!

With the right guidance 🌟, encouragement 💛, and family support, what once felt like a really hard task became something achievable—and even fun! 😄

Creating a fun, encouraging, and supportive environment makes all the difference. So proud of this journey and the confidence he gained along the way! 🌟

04/02/2026

Thanks Honor!~

Do these habit appliances look like they could hurt? Some orthodontists and others in dentistry continue to address oral habit patterns with appliances involving cribs, rakes, spikes, prongs or other tongue reminders. By contrast, IAOM Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists are effective in modifying oral habit patterns without the need for these appliances. Habit appliances are punitive devices used to block the tongue rather than modifying the rest posture of the tongue. Habit appliances do not address the cause of the problem when there is an airway issue nor do they close the lips. Habit appliances can cause eating and speaking problems and can cause bilateral open bites. When the habit appliance is removed, the abnormal tongue patterns returns if the cause of the problem is not addressed. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy uses positive behavioral approaches to habit cessation which is more effective and non punitive in achieving success in eliminating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. Contact my office for correction of oral habits at 972-233-1312 and no hurtful appliances.

03/31/2026

Must listen to episode on airway! Dr Capps explains this so well.

Podcast Episode · Skills for Moms · March 31 · 1h 15m

03/27/2026

What if allergy relief didn’t come in a bottle… but through sound? 🤍✨

I’ve been exploring a fascinating, drug-free approach called SONU therapy by Sound Life—and it’s changing the way we think about seasonal support. 🤧

Instead of suppressing symptoms, this technology uses personalized sound frequencies designed to help your body respond more appropriately to environmental triggers. 🌿

For those navigating chronic congestion, mouth breathing, disrupted sleep, or constant irritation… this can be a beautiful supportive tool alongside a root-cause, whole-body approach.

Because healing isn’t just about what we do—
it’s about how the body receives it.

Curious about how this fits into a functional, airway-centered, orofacial approach? I’d love to share more. 💬
.life

02/24/2026

Breaking habits is about so much more than just stopping a digit sucking habit 💙👶✨

A Habit Elimination Program doesn’t just remove the habit — it builds a healthy foundation for long-term success 👏

🦷 Here’s what we’re really working on:
✔️ Proper oral resting posture
✔️ Correct tongue posture 👅
✔️ Healthy lip posture 👄
✔️ Consistent nasal breathing 🌬️👃

When these pieces come together, amazing things happen 🌟

✨ Before orthodontic treatment:
Addressing habits and posture first helps set young patients up for more stable, predictable orthodontic outcomes and may even reduce relapse later on 🧠🦷

🗣️ Supporting speech therapy goals:
Speech therapy goals are often met more efficiently and with longer-lasting results when oral habits, posture, and breathing patterns are addressed alongside therapy 💬💪

💡 The goal isn’t just to stop a habit — it’s to create lifelong healthy patterns that support growth, confidence, sleep, speech, and overall wellness 💕

🤝 This is often a collaborative, team-based approach, working alongside multiple disciplines to support the child from a full-body, whole-health perspective — because everything is connected 👏✨

Small changes now = BIG wins later 💙🦷✨

02/22/2026

🌟💖 Celebrating a BIG win for this sweet girl! 💖🌟

Congratulations to an amazing young lady who has achieved several important goals! 🙌✨ She was given clear, achievable tasks—and with the right guidance and the incredible support of her family, she accomplished BIG things. 💪🌸

She is so proud of herself… and we couldn’t be more proud too! 🥹👏

This is such a beautiful reminder that oral dysfunction often has multiple contributing factors. Many times, we’re not just working on one habit—but several at the same time. With patience, support, and the right plan, progress is possible. 💛✨

Way to go, superstar! 🌟🎉

02/19/2026

🎉 Congratulations to this awesome little guy! 🎉

With the right direction and the incredible support of his family, he successfully eliminated his oral habit!💪

This was no small task, and along the way he gained confidence and self-esteem from accomplishing something hard. We couldn’t be more proud or happy for him!

We are also so grateful to Dr. Blaire Miers at Boozer Dental Works for recognizing the need for oral habit elimination and for trusting the program offered by East Texas Orofacial Myology. Teamwork truly makes a difference! 💙✨

02/08/2026

🫁 Myofunctional Therapy & Asthma: Why How You Breathe Matters

Did you know that how you breathe can directly impact asthma symptoms?

📚 Research spotlight:
A 2016 study (Nagahama Study )found that habitual mouth breathers with mild asthma had reduced lung function and experienced more symptoms during asthma attacks. Mouth breathing was identified as an independent risk factor for asthma.

🚩 Signs of Dysfunctional Breathing:

Do any of these sound familiar?
😮‍💨 Shallow breathing using the upper chest
⏱️ Fast breathing rate
👀 Visible chest movement when breathing
😪 Frequent sighing or yawning
🌬️ Feeling unable to take a satisfying breath
👄 Habitual or chronic mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing

These patterns can contribute to:
😴 Fatigue
🧠 Poor concentration
😟 Increased anxiety

👃 Why Nasal Breathing Matters:

Breathing through the nose:
🔥 Warms and humidifies the air before it reaches the lungs
🧼 Filters allergens and irritants
🧪 Increases nitric oxide, helping reduce inflammation
🫁 Encourages diaphragmatic breathing instead of upper chest breathing
🐢 Slows the breathing rate for calmer, more efficient breathing
⚖️ Helps stabilize carbon dioxide levels, which relaxes the airways

✨ Restoring nasal breathing can help reduce asthma symptoms and improve overall breathing efficiency.

👉 If you or someone you know has asthma and is a chronic mouth breather, specific myofunctional and breathing exercises can help retrain dysfunctional breathing.
💬 Reach out if you’d like more information or support.

01/24/2026

✨ Tongue Tie: It’s More Than Just a Release ✨

Thinking you or your child may have a tongue tie? 👅
A thorough, comprehensive evaluation is essential—and here’s why 👇

🔍 It’s not just about releasing a restriction
A tongue tie release is only one small piece of the puzzle. The true goal is restoring full, functional movement—without compensations.

👄 We assess the entire oral phase of the swallow
During a full evaluation, we look at everything working together:
✔️ Tongue movement & coordination
✔️ Lip and cheek muscle function
✔️ Jaw stability
✔️ Range of motion of the entire oral complex
✔️ Swallow patterns and muscle sequencing

🧠 The tongue learns compensations when tethered
If the tongue has been restricted, it has never learned proper movement patterns. Instead, the body adapts—often creating compensations that affect:
• Breathing 😮‍💨
• Swallowing 💧
• Speech 🗣️
• Oral development 🦷

🎯 The purpose of a release = FUNCTION
The release is not the finish line—it’s the starting point for teaching the tongue how to move correctly for the first time.

🧩 Why a full assessment matters
When we understand all the areas affected, we can:
✨ Create a proper plan
✨ Prevent ongoing compensations
✨ Support long-term success

🚫 It’s not just about “getting ready” for a release
✅ It’s about comprehensive care before and after
✅ It’s about restoring function, not just mobility

💬 If you’ve been told “just release it,” it may be time to ask deeper questions.
Function matters. Always. 💙